Pickett reports 13.3% jobless rate for March

County unemployment rates for March 2013, released this week, show the rate decreased in 58 counties, increased in 24, and stayed the same in 13. Tennessee’s unemployment rate for March was 7.9 percent, which increased one tenth of one percentage point from the February revised rate of 7.8 percent. The national unemployment rate for March 2013 was 7.6 percent, decreasing by one tenth of one percentage point from the previous month.Pickett County reported a 13.3% unemployment rate for March, up slightly from February’s rate of 13.1%. Only two counties in the state reported higher rates for March, Scott County and Lauderdale County. Surrounding counties reported the following rates for March: Overton County remained the same at 9.5%; Fentress County 9.3% (down from 9.4%); and Putnam County 7.5, down from 7.6%.